Nota Bene chef David Lee cuts ties with The Carbon Bar

For the past year, executive chef David Lee has been dividing his time between Nota Bene, the six-year-old power-lunch spot on Queen West, and The Carbon Bar, his younger, clubbier, barbecue-focused restaurant a few blocks east at Queen and Church. At present, Lee co-owns both places with partners Yannick Bigourdan and Franco Prevedello, but that arrangement apparently won’t hold up for much longer. According to a recent press release, Lee will soon be parting ways with his longtime partners, cutting all ties with Carbon Bar and turning Nota Bene into a one man show. The move marks the dissolution of a 15-year partnership between Lee and Bigourdan. The pair co-owned Splendido for seven years before opening Nota Bene to great acclaim in 2008. The restaurant’s been looking a little tired lately, so Lee’s plans for the business, which include a mid-year renovation and menu overhaul, couldn’t have come at a better time.